Telescopes & Observatories
From manufacturing telescopes and domes to positioning solutions for observatories
How it all began? With the creative mind, inventor and businessman Gustav Heyde, born in Dresden in 1846. Since about 1865 our company founder gained practical experience in the design of astronomical instruments. He worked in different specialized ateliers until he finally landed in Vienna at the famous company Starke & Kammerer, where he was introduced to the design of geodetic instruments. At the age of 25, he ended his years of wandering and started his own business in Dresden. At first, Gustav Heyde opened a store in Blasewitzer Straße, where he repaired a wide variety of mechanical instruments, but then quickly began to sell telescopes, microscopes and magnifying glasses as well. With the foundation of our company in 1972 as „Mathematisch-mechanisches Institut und Optische Präzisionswerkstätten“, he turned his attention from trading astronomical instruments and started his own development and production.
Observatory domes
"My iron observatory domes, of which already 25 domes up to 10 m in diameter are in perfect operation, are equipped according to all requirements of state-of-the-art technology. A wide base bearing runs with a rail on a number of rollers and is protected by lateral sliding rollers in the larger domes. Larger domes run on double roller bearing."
Gustav Heyde
Dresden, March 1905
Equatorial 20 cm Heyde refractor | Konkoly Budapest
Transfer from Ógyalla to Budapest around 1918 after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy
- Location: Konkoly Obszervatórium in Budapest
- Year of construction: approx. 1908
- Visiting possibilities: unknown
Related links (external):
- journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/monsites/article/view/19921/13715 (PDF download, Chapter 16.4.3 Last Investments, Figure 16.10)
- epa.oszk.hu/03000/03054/00372/pdf/EPA03054_meteor_2009_10_17-27.pdf (PDF download)
- web.axelero.hu/urania51/new_page7.html
30 cm Heyde refractor | TU Dresden
Manufactured by the companies G. Heyde (precision mechanics) and Zeisswerke Jena (optics)
- Location: Institute for Planetary Geodesy in the Technical University of Dresden, Lohrmann Observatory
- Year of construction: approx. 1912
- Visiting possibility: Telescope still in use
Related links (external):
- https://tu-dresden.de/bu/umwelt/geo/ipg/astro/die-arbeitsgruppe/geschichte
- http://www.universitaetssammlungen.de/sammlung/86
- https://www3.astronomicalheritage.net/index.php/show-entity?identity=230&idsubentity=1
- de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lohrmann-Institut
Equatorial Heyde Refractor | ON Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Meridian instruments, equatorial telescopes with objectives of 32 cm and 21 cm
- Location: Observatório Nacional in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Year of construction: approx. 1912
- Visiting possibility: MAST Collection, Main Building
Related links (external):
28 cm Heyde Refraktor | NAO Chile
Not in operation for astronomical purposes since the 1950s
- Location: Observatorio Astronómico Nacional in Chile
- Year of construction: approx. 1913
- Visiting possibility: Public guided tours
Related links (external):
Achromatic Heyde Refractor | Lucerne Observatory
City of Lucerne for school purposes, aperture 110 mm, focal length 1650 mm
- Location: Hubelmatt Observatory in Lucerne
- Year of construction: 1914 (ordered on 21. 05.1914, delivered on 15.01.1915)
- Visiting possibility: Private observatory of the Roth family in Ebikon
Related links (external):
Heyde Refractor & Observatory | Röttger Observatory Hilden
Construction for the private observatory of Friedrich Röttger at the Boys School Kolpingstr.
- Location: Hilden
- Year of construction: approx. 1920
- Visiting possibility: LVR - Open Air Museum Kommern
Related links (external):
60 cm Heyde-Zeiss-Cassegrain telescope | Konkoly Budapest
Main mirror 60 cm diameter, focal length 746 cm
- Location: Konkoly Obszervatórium in Budapest
- Year of construction: approx. 1928
- Visiting possibility: Telescope still in use
Related links (external):
![[Translate to English:] Off-Axis-Unit (2002) Leibnitz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam zum Einsatz im LBT (Large Binocular Telescope)](/fileadmin/_processed_/7/6/csm_heyde-feinmess-ofd-steinmeyer-mechatronik-off-axis-unit-aip-lbt-Large-Binocular-Telescope-observatory_17bc904347.png "[Translate to English:] Off-Axis-Unit (2002) Leibnitz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam zum Einsatz im LBT (Large Binocular Telescope)")
2002
Positioning solution for the Large Binocular Telescope
Development of the Off-Axis-Unit for the Leibnitz-Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam for use in the LBT (Large Binocular Telescope)
Related link (external): Research Project AIP https://www.aip.de/en/research/projects/lbt/
Related Link (internal): Press release "Precise positioning for the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT)"
2005
Positioning solution for the SUNRISE Solar Observatory
Development of a 3-axis system for the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research for use in the balloon-borne solar observatory SUNRISE
Related link (external): Sunrise project of the MPS www.mps.mpg.de/sonnenforschung/sunrise
Related link (external): Sunrise Science Blog www2.mps.mpg.de/projects/sunrise/scienceblog/
2012
Positioning solution for polarization filters in telescopes
Development of a double rotary stage for the Leibnitz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam for polarization filters in telescopes
Related link (internal): Systems for astronomy and aerospace
2020
Positioning solutions for the VLT (Very Large Telescope) from ESO
Development of positioning systems for the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics for the GRAVITY+ instrument of the ESO-VLT (Very Large Telescope)
- XY-Positioning System (2020)
- Beam compressor stage (2021)
Related links (external):
- GRAVITY and VLT at Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
- Project https://www.mpe.mpg.de/ir/gravityplusGRAVITY+at Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
More state-of-the-art systems for astronomy and aerospace
For more than 20 years, we have been continuously defining new limits of possibilities in practice with worldwide institutes such as ESO, AIP, INAF or the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics.
Wherever extreme vibrations, temperatures and other extremes become a challenge, we find a reliable and safe solution.
The content of this page was made from our large collection of photos and documents and supplemented by questioning as well as participation of some of our long-time employees. We have tried to fill gaps in our knowledge with internet research and sometimes just common sense. In the process, a large number of external sources have been incorporated, which are indicated accordingly. Some contexts could only be presented in a simplified way. If you find errors in the content or can supplement it with your own knowledge, please get in touch with us at: 150years(at)steinmeyer.com
We are pleased to share our documents with interested persons and institutes for scientific and non-commercial purposes, hoping for networking and complementing our knowledge.